[Album Review] ELRIS – Summer Dream

Rookie girl group ELRIS splashed back on the scene with the trendy, bubbly Summer Dream. Both the song and the album (of the same name) have the sound that’s most commonly associated with k-pop girl groups: fresh & sweet.

Despite only having debuted in June 2017, Hunus Entertainment’s ELRIS are already building a solid sound surrounding their style.

Their musical style is not completely distinctive or groundbreaking. But their potential really shines through the vocal arrangements of their songs. They’re big on harmonies and sweet, mellow voices.

Summer Dream, the lead single, starts off the album strongly. It’s funky, interesting and it sounds like it could have been released in the early 2000’s. It’s that classic k-pop sound. But the mini-rap break, bridging the second chorus and the second verse, modernises the song. The rap, however, is a completely unnecessary addition. It’s not long enough to be significantly good. And the flow just feels out of place with the rest of the song.

Will Be Mine is the most interesting song on the album. The instrumental is lead by a prominent drum arrangement, lightened towards the end with strings. The chorus is a gem; the sing-song melody makes the song feel so much more monumental. It’s catchy and peppy, and the real high-point of this song is the key change that happens towards the end, right after the high note.

The last three songs on the album are Malhae, produced by VIXX’s Ravi; 챙겨주고 싶어 (Lovely); and Focus. Out of these three, Lovely is the strongest. ELRIS focus on creating harmonisations throughout. But this time the accompanying guitar highlights gives the song a really interesting texture. Malhae is less sweet than the previous tracks, boldened by the girls’ lower registers. Whereas Focus is far more modern and electronic than the previous tracks. It’s not as punchy, but it feels purposeful and direct.

Summer Dream is well-produced and bright. It starts off strong and clean, although there’s not much variety in style and sound. Despite this, the album is still super fresh; paired perfectly with a beach-side trip and an ice-cold drink or two.